1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to aircraft and other vehicles and in particular to data for aircraft and other vehicles. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for delivering data to and from an aircraft or other vehicle.
2. Background
Computer systems are used in many aircraft. For example, a computer system in a commercial passenger aircraft may include multiple computers that communicate with each other through an aircraft network. Such computers may take various forms, such as a flight management system, a navigation computer, an engine indicating and crew alerting system (EICAS), an autopilot, an electronic flight bag, and other line-replaceable units or other types of data processing systems.
Computer systems on an aircraft may use software or programming to provide the logic or control for various operations and functions. The software used in computer systems on aircraft is commonly treated as parts in the airline industry. For example, a software application for use in a line-replaceable unit on an aircraft may be tracked separately from the line-replaceable unit itself. Aircraft software that is treated as an aircraft part may be referred to as a loadable software aircraft part, an aircraft software part, or simply as a software part. A software part may be considered a separately identified part of the configuration of an aircraft, rather than part of the hardware which operates the software.
Software parts may be installed into a computer system on an aircraft at various times. For example, a software part may be installed during the manufacturing of an aircraft. Further, a software part may be installed at a later time when the aircraft is in service. A software part may be installed on an aircraft to replace an existing software part, provide a new or improved feature, or for some other suitable purpose or various combinations of purposes.
Software parts are often loaded onto a computer system on an aircraft during maintenance and service for the aircraft when the aircraft is located in a hanger or other maintenance location. However, loading software parts and other information on an aircraft may be desirable at other times. For example, without limitation, an updated version of a software part for an entertainment system on an aircraft may provide more entertainment features for passengers. It may be desirable to make these improved features available on the aircraft as soon as possible.
It also may be desirable to download information from a computer system on an aircraft to a location off of the aircraft. For example, without limitation, an airline or other operator of an aircraft may desire to move operational data from an aircraft to a location off of the aircraft for storage, analysis, or for other appropriate purposes. Such operational data may include, for example, logs, events, sensor data, and other data that may be generated by an aircraft computer system or other devices on the aircraft. It may be desirable that such data is moved from the aircraft to the location off of the aircraft in a timely and secure manner.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus that take into account at least some of the issues discussed above, as well as other possible issues.